NZCMS Sangeethotsavam 2013

[MV]

Grand 3 Day Festival from June 1-3, 2013

Day 1 5pm Carnatica Brothers
Day 2 9-12am NZ Carnatic Star Competition
1-3 pm 'Musical Forms' presentaion by visiting artistes and students
5.30pm Smt Nithyashree Mahadevan

Day 3 5pm Sanjay Subrahmanian

[MV]

Day 1 by Carnatica Brothers
accompanied by HN Baskar on Violin and Tanjore Murugabhoopathy on Mridangam

I will put in a brief review before we head off for Day 2.
1) Sarasija nabha - Kambhoji Ata Thala Varnam
2) Thakathatham- Andal Kavuthuvam in Malayamarutham
3) Endaro Mahanubhavu - Sri Pancharatnam
4) Ardhanaree Kumudhakriya (R N kS)
5) Vasudevay Namo - Sahana by OVK from his opera
6) Ekamresha Karnataka Sudha Saveri on request
7) Narayana Shudha Dhanyasi
8) RTP in Gayakapriya (because it is year 2013, 13th melakarta ragam was picked. Thanam in Gayakapriya, Nilambari, Kambhoji.
Dwijavanthi & Nayaki
Pallavai Ragamalika in GPriya, Charukesi, Varali, Ramapriya and Kalyani. More later
Gitapriya Sangitapriya Swarasthan Gayakapriya in Khanda Triputa
Thani

Astounding concert-will come back and complete the list

[MV]

Continuing with Day 1. The 13th Melakarta was picked based on the date 1+6+2013=13. Thereafter the ragamalikas were based on multiples of 13 being 13,26,39,52 and 65
The Thukkadas were Ninnaikada Neramillai Muruga
Chelinenetlu Pharas
Naraharivesha I think is Ragam Surya
Thillana in Purvikalyani to Lord Muruga composed by Shri KN Shashikiran
Raghavendra Bhajan
Dasvatara Mangalam

Lot of rare compositions and the RTP was handled expertly with Gayakipriya changing to Charukesipriya, Varalipriya etc.The trikalam was also done for each word like Sangitapriya, Swarasthanapriya. Explosive stuff which ended in a standing ovation from the entire crowd.

[MV]

Day 2 Smt Nithyashree Mahadevan accompanied by HN Bhaskar & Tanjore Murugabhoopathy

1) Charukesi Varnam by LGJ
2) Janaki Ramana Suddha Seemanthini (KS)
3) Nannuvitachi Reethigowlai (R)
4) Kanchadalayadakshi Kamalamanohari
5) Madura Madura Atana OVK
6) Enneramun GKB Devagandhari
7) Parama Pavana Rama Poochi SI-Poorvi Kalyani (R, N, KS and Thani)
8) Vazhikkuthunai Muruga Ahir Bhairavi
9) Nan Oru Vilaiyattu Navarasa Kannada
10)Thamburi Meetidava Sindhu Bhairavi
11) Viruttam Pullay Pirandu in ragamalika followed by Nambi Kettavar
12) Narayana Hari Eka Khanda Thalam RagaMaliga
13) Rama Rama ... Parama Bhaktharam-Chandrajyothi composes by Nithyashree
14) Bharata Samudayam - Viruutam & Song by Subramanya Bharati
15) Thillana in Dwijavanthi

I think I have missed a song in Thilang. She announced all composers etc but I missed a few. I will try and come back with more details soon.


In her maiden visit to NZ, she gave us a 'Nithyamana' concert which will last in all our minds for a very long time. For the first time, NZCMS feared we would have to put up the 'Housefull' board and turn away people.

By the time she started her Reethigowlai alapana her voice settled down in a perfect zone. The majesty of the alapana and the song wrapped everyone in a cozy blanket. Bhaskar & Bhoopathy kept the fires perfectly kindled so not to intrude in that calmness. I know the Kanchadalaya in madhyama kalam. It was so pleasant to hear it in 2-kalai with the chittaswarams in madhyamam. Enneramum was full of sowkhyam. For the knowledgeable the Purvikalyani was masterly. The eternal question for every musician is whether to sing an RTP or take up a big composition and work with it in detail. For NZ, we have had both in 2 days and both work plus it was good to have one of each. Paramapavan was jsut mesmeric. Niraval and KS was sublime and Bhoopathy showed his experience by being so much in sync even with the manodharmam. I have heard Bhaskar for 3 days with different styles now and his adaptation yet maintaining his style is remarkable.

After a weighty first half, she launched into some beautiful viruttams and thukkadas and even her own composition. Song requests were coming in after every song and were slowly turning into fan notes and letters. To sum up, it was not just a concert but an experience.

[rshankar]

Thank you for your reports...lovely to see Smt. Nithyashree bounce back. Wonderful to see that she is not just following in the footsteps of her pATTi, but her mother as well, in becoming a vAgEyakara!

[arasi]

Indeed! Kudos to her!

bhAratha samudAyam vAzhgavE brings her grandmother fresh back to us old timers...

[mahavishnu]

bhAratha samudAyam vAzhgavE brings her grandmother fresh back to us old timers...

Yes, the samudAyam now extends to every corner of the globe with the diaspora holding wonderful concerts everywhere.
MV, thanks for the reports. Sounds like a great music festival! And congratulations to you for organizing such a wonderful series.

Did HNB and Murugabhoopathy play for all 3 concerts?

RTP in Gayakapriya

Very interesting choice! I was just talking about Gayakapriya a.k.a geyahejjaji with a friend the other day. I have never heard an RTP in it or any composition for that matter outside of MD's Ramachandra bhaktam. BMK might have been the only person that might have treated this ragam elaborately in recent times. If there are others, I would be delighted to know.

Kudos to the Carnatica brothers for presenting a pallavi in this! It is very difficult to sing this ragam due to the lack of symmetry between the lower and upper half of the octave (as in MMG).

MV, look forward to hearing about Sanjay's concert also!

[MV]

Day 3 Sanjay Subrahmanyan

1) Reethigowlai Ata Thala Varnam
2) Siva Chidambarame - Nagaswarali KS
3) Ananda Natana Kedaram (R, KS)
4) Enna Rakshiso - SubaPanthuvarali PD
5) Aaro Ivar Yaro - Bhairavi (R, N, KS, Thani)
6) Bhogindra Sayinam - Kundalavarali (KS @ Padmanabham)
7) Haridasulu Vedale - Yamuna Kalyani - Thyagaraja
8) RTP - Bahudari Chathusra Triputha (Adhi)
Kandanadi Avar Enakku Sondam Adi Valli Manalanadi
Ragamalikai swarams in Hindolam, Bilahari, Huseni, Begada
9) Palukuthe Abheri Annamay
10) Veenai Adi Nee Enakku - S. Bharathi
11) Mannuppugazh Kosalai - Ragamalikai
12) Vizhikkuthunai Ragamalikai Viruttam finishing in Sahana
Chittam Irangada
13) Oorile Kaniyillai
14) Sapasya Kausalya
15) Karpagame

[MV]

@ Mahavishnu... sorry for the delayed post. I've been occupied

Review? well what can I say. Didn't have to scramble for tickets/seats.
Bhairavi was masterly. Couple of songs I hadn't heard before like the Annamaya and Haridasulu. RTP just flowed. He did the trikalam and even khandam in his own style-as part of the KS. I think the cinch is that nothing was contrived yet all the technicalities were there.

Lovely list, beautiful presentation... To borrow Sanjay's tamil 'Ullam Kulirnthadadi' Fabulous 3/4 days of Music which will stay in our memories for a long time.

[MV]

Forgot 'Karunaa Nidana' in Charukesi by ST-someone's request for a Hindi Bhajan was sung beautifully

[mahavishnu]

thanks, MV. Very classic Sanjay list!
Haridasulu vedale is one of my favourite songs!

[arasi]

Mahavishnu,
Yes, that's a charming song.

I wonder too if the accompanists were the same for the third concert.

Bahu dAri RTP would have been sung in 'many ways'. Have heard Sanjay sing a lovely one with the same pallavi line, the aDis falling softly on the ears.

MV,
Thanks for the list and comments. Your description about the RTP sits well with me because Sanjay's imaginative flights do not abandon the typical characteristics of a rAgA or the weighty quality of a pallavi. His tAnams are always impressive.

I relate 'ULLam KuLirudaDi' more to the Pattamma school. Nityasri sings that kiLikkaNNi too, doesn't she?

Thanks for the list. As you say, it must have been some festival in far away NZ.

Was Sam there? Hope he is feeling much better now.

[MV]

Mahavishnu & Arasi.. thanks for your kind words. Yes, same accompanists all 3 days. Apparently the first time HN Bhaskar has accompanied SS. It was some festival indeed. And no Sam couldn't make it. We missed him.